Bunny Godillot : Inspired and passionnate
When she was a child, Bunny Godillot wanted to do every job and live other lives. Becoming an actress, and later an author and director, naturally followed. An artist whose sensitivity and passion for imagery also shine through in her writing, acting, and directing, she was captivated by the magic of photography from an early age. This passion was sparked by a simple photo of her running, immortalized by her father. This fascination never left her and has shaped her artistic journey. Bunny loves to tell stories, evoke emotions, and provoke reactions. Always on the lookout for new projects, she is currently dedicated to writing an ambitious screenplay about the Liberation of France, seen through the eyes of one of the first female war photographers, Odette Fénéon.
In short, Bunny Godillot is an artist who, through her works, invites us to see the world with heightened sensitivity, recognize beauty in details, and feel the raw emotion captured in every moment. She has also posed for Olivier Denis as part of the series “Women in Turmoil,” a project dedicated to women with breast cancer, which will be exhibited from July 31 to August 11 at the Orangerie du Sénat in Paris.**
What was your first photographic spark?
Bunny Godillot: A photo of me as a child running.
The man or woman of images who inspired you?
B.G.: Christine Spengler and Lee Miller both war photographer.
The image you wish you had taken?
B.G.: A portrait of a woman in collodion.
The one that moved you the most?
B.G.: The photo taken in Vietnam by Nick Ut of that little girl running naked. You can easily read all her suffering and fear on her face.
And the one that made you angry?
B.G.: All the poor photos of Instagrammers, alas!
Which photo changed the world?
B.G.: Probably that same photo by Nick Ut.
And which photo changed your world?
B.G.: Without hesitation: all artistic photos, whether portraits, decorative images, or landscapes, as long as they take me to another world other than my own.
What interests you most in an image?
B.G.: It depends on the subject: the angle, the frame, the point of view, what it tells me about the photographer, his eye, his sensitivity to his subject.
What was the last photo you took?
B.G.: A photo of my dog who is very photogenic, I must say (smile).
A key image from your personal pantheon?
B.G.: I have many. Too many to list them all here.
A photographic memory from your childhood?
B.G.: That of my father taking lots of photos of us, both close-up and from a distance, often cutting off our heads. I have albums full of them.
In your opinion, what quality is necessary to be a good photographer?
B.G.: Sensitivity.
What makes a good photo?
B.G.: The fact that it tells a story, creates emotions, reactions.
Who would you like to photograph?
B.G.: Harry Styles, I love his energy.
An indispensable photo book?
B.G.: The one from the Albert Kahn Museum, the Japanese autochromes.
The camera from your childhood?
B.G.: A Kodak.
The one you use today?
B.G.: My phone, of course.
An upcoming project that is close to your heart?
B.G.: “1944, seen by Odette Fénéon,” my latest script. The Liberation of France and the Terezin camp, through the eyes of one of the first female war photographers. What did they see that men didn’t?
Your favorite indulgence?
B.G.: Bitter orange marmalade.
The best way for you to disconnect?
B.G.: Traveling.
What is your relationship with images?
B.G.: Obsessive.
By whom would you like or would you have liked to be photographed?
B.G.: There are several: Paolo Roversi for the poetry of his images, Sacha Goldberger for his extraordinary staging and the magnificent images he created with the complicity of his grandmother. And then, of course, David Bailey, Peter Lindbergh, and Richard Avedon.
Your last extravagance?
B.G.: Deciding to change my way of life.
An image to illustrate a new banknote?
B.G.: My dog. He’s so cute! (laughs).
The job you wouldn’t have liked to do?
B.G.: Slaughterhouse worker.
Your greatest professional extravagance?
B.G.: Being myself; I’m shy. It’s not easy.
What question makes you lose your temper?
B.G.: I don’t see any, a priori!
What is the last thing you did for the first time recently?
B.G.: Starting to write a novel.
The city, country, or culture you dream of discovering?
B.G.: Sicily.
The place you never get tired of?
B.G.: Venice, my soul’s city.
Your biggest regret?
B.G.: Not daring to assert myself sooner.
In terms of social networks, are you more Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter and why?
B.G.: Instagram because it’s fun.
Color or black & white?
B.G.: It depends on the subject.
Daylight or studio light?
B.G.: Studio light for portraits. Natural light for the rest.
What, in your opinion, is the most photogenic city?
B.G.: Venice.
If God existed, would you ask him to pose for you or opt for a selfie with him?
B.G.: I would ask him to pose for me and let me go so I could post the photo.
If I could organize your ideal dinner, who would be at the table?
B.G.: Méliès, Paolo Sorrentino, Jodie Foster, Michelangelo, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Sophia Loren… and a few others.
The image that represents the current state of the world for you?
B.G.: A tornado.
In your opinion, what is missing in today’s world?
B.G.: Intelligence, patience, and empathy.
If you had to start all over again?
B.G.: I would be myself and dare to assert myself.
Afterwards, what would you like people to say about you?
B.G.: That I was a good person.
The one thing people must absolutely know about you?
B.G.: That I am a good person.
A final word?
B.G.: The most beautiful word in the vocabulary: Thank you.
